SAINTS go into Friday night’s derby at Wigan with momentum, but coach Keiron Cunningham has warned the players against “falling in love” with what they have won in the past four games.

Victories against Hull KR, Wakefield, Widnes and Huddersfield, coinciding with consecutive losses by fourth-placed Catalans has made the battle for top four tight again.

And after being written of as no-hopers in May, Saints are back in with a fighting chance and take some good form and confidence into the last game of the regular rounds before the Super 8s split.

Cunningham was pleased with the way his side have turned it around.

He said: “Momentum is very important. Everyone strives for consistency – buzzwords that you hear are always momentum and consistency.

“Self-belief is a big thing. All my coaching staff have been ex-players and we have all been through bumpy periods with teams.

“The first couple of wins after that are a relief more than anything else, and over a period time that relief turns into self belief and you can see it budding and flowering.

“You get a good defensive performance against Widnes and back that up with another good defensive display against a good side like Huddersfield, who are a good side and were at full strength.”

So far this year Saints have only won one game — at Warrington — against a current top four side.

As well as they have done to get themselves back in the shake up, Cunningham knows that to climb here on in they have to start beating teams above and around them on the league table,

Cunningham said: “We have been looking forward to the Wigan game, but we have to be smart how we go about things.

“This past four weeks is not going to win us the game, it is what we do on Friday night.

“The games against the top teams above or around us have not been our strongest point this year.

“Going into the split off, in order to get in the top four you have to beat the teams above or around you.

“Confidence and self-belief is on the horizon, and although we have put ourselves in a really good spot we can’t fall in love with what we have done and have to kick on.

“I remember somebody once telling me you never write the Saints off.

“We always knew what we were capable of achieving and although we are still far from that, we are playing good entertaining rugby and backing it up with good defensive performances.”